Gesela, who has a bit of fae blood, is scorned and isolated in her village of Elk. She is believed to have been cursed, and thus villagers are just waiting for an excuse to get rid of her. In particular, Sheriff Roland of Elk wants revenge because Gesela has repeatedly rejected his sexual advances. Thus when the town needs a “sacrifice” to break the curse of the well having run dry, Gesela is “chosen.” She has to kill the toad at the bottom of the well, but it turns out the toad was an Elven prince under a curse of his own, and his brothers want retribution.

Five of the brothers take Gesela and banish her to live with the seventh brother, whom they call The Beast. The Beast, whose human name is Casamir, was cursed by the Glass Mountains. He only has five more days for someone to guess his real name, or he will forget it, and then he will cease to exist. Moreover, the person who guesses has to be in love with him. And if he ceases to exist, Gesela will never be free, so their fates are tied together.

At first, Gesela detests Casamir. Or at least, she claims she hates him. She also feels irresistible lust for him, especially after he repeatedly sexually harasses her. Under his heated gaze and with his heated thrusting into her, she feels like “someone.” But can she love him *and* guess his name in time? Can he love her? After all, neither of them has known love in their lives - only loss and cruelty.

Well, we can see where this is going. But all that lust and angst and tension keeps us turning the pages anyway.

On the one hand, this is a mash-up of fairytale retellings and a *very* hot romance, with explicit details. But to my mind, and more importantly, it is a stereotypical story from pre-Me-Too days of the appeal of the rapey bad boy.

Typically such plots involve a Byronic hero: strong and attractive, yet flawed in ways most notably exemplified in the life and writings of Lord Byron. This hero (often a vampire, but an Elven Lord works as well) is moody, dark, cynical, independent, masterful, and has a mysterious past that gives him much pain and has made “love” almost impossible for him. But he is also absolutely magnetic and sexually irresistible. He can be cruel, too, but who can blame him, given all the grief festering inside him? Not we, surely!

Furthermore, we know that only a very *extraordinary* woman [such as each of us secretly is] can get this guy to open up to her and let himself feel love. [The fact that the young woman is usually surly and obnoxious but beautiful adds to her appeal for the Bad Boy.]

This woman has the potential to pull such a hero out of the abyss in which he passes his days and long nights, and love him in spite of his stern demeanor, dark past, and sexual abuse. The reward? She is needed by him, more than she has ever been needed by anyone. And she thereby is “someone.”

Look at what this fantasy says about the women who find it appealing:

1. We may want power and importance, but these desires pale besides the attractiveness of enticing otherwise recalcitrant men and then wallowing in sexual submission to their uncontrollable desires;

2. Besides, then we not only realize the power of having broken through the man’s supposedly impenetrable barriers, but we also have power conferred upon *us* by being *his* woman (and the one who finally conquered him!);

3. We find his sexual violation, especially if it involves “ravishment” erotic and irresistable rather than traumatic and horrific;

4. Only we can provide redemption for this tortured man.

Gesela is not the weak, fainting sort, and yet clearly there is in this book the association of sexual arousal with her subordination. At one point, we have the somewhat startling passage:

“As much as I hated to surrender to this creature, lying beneath him right now, it only seemed right. ‘Choke me,’ I said. He did not need encouragement. . . I thought I might die from the rush of pleasure that blossomed throughout my body, only growing in intensity as he continued to press on either side of my neck.”

After this fiery encounter, Gesela asks (or rather, “moans”) “What kind of magic is this?” “This is not magic,” he responds, “This is *need.*”. She thinks, “If this was need, I had never known it before, but I was certain I could not live without it….”

There is a long history of men promulgating male privilege and sexual dominance, but this book was written by a woman. That isn’t a mystery; androcentric media has affected women and what they have grown to believe is romantic and/or erotic, which has made male domination a turn on for *both* men and women. [The dynamic is aided by women wearing sheer, revealing clothing (featured aplenty in this book) and physical positions of submission.] Men can’t resist these women (no matter how surly), and other women want to emulate them. Being “hot” is equated with self-esteem, just as Gesela feels being ravished by Casamir makes her “someone.”

What about the fact that these women almost always have unpleasant personalities, being rebellious, stubborn, and often insufferable? I would guess this is the author’s way of establishing the “independence” of the woman, as well as giving the male hero more of a challenge to “conquer.”

Evaluation: Fairytale retellings are generally appealing; after all, there is a reason they have remained part of culture for so long. And if you are looking for hot sex and have never been sexually abused or harassed in any way so you aren’t offended by the social dynamics of the story, you will find this story entertaining.

4.5/5 ⭐
2.5/5 🌶️

I really loved this fairy tale novella. Scarlett wasn't joking when she said this wasn't a retelling of one tale, but a mash up of lots of different ones, and she spun them together so beautifully. There were so many little elements here and there that made me go OH OH THAT'S XX and I loved it. Don't forget to read the author's note at the end where she explains a lot of them, it was really fun to hear her inspiration.

The beginning felt a little staccato to me, it wasn't super smooth story-telling... But as we moved along and got Gesella and Casamir together, it really started flowing well and the pace was really great. The world-building and imagery was incredible, I loved picturing the fauna and flora in my mind. And then the illustrations that accompanied the story were just stunning.

I loved Gesella and Casamir; their chemistry and banter were so good. I loved how much they tried to hate each other and how dense Casamir was about love and flattery, only for them to slowly fall for each other. I really enjoyed Gesella and her attitude. She had so much gumption and wasn't afraid of anything but wishes. Her interactions with the selkie and Wolf were some of my favorites.

I'm really excited we are getting a story for each brother. I'm loving this world and can not wait for more.

A steamy multi-fairytale retelling with morally grey characters with a rumplestiltskin/beauty and the beast style vibe- I was here for it.

The first half was a bit rushed, I mean, girl has seven days to fall in lurrrrve.

But- it panned out well in the end, and Scarlett has said she will write other stories for all of the brothers, which I’ll look forward to!

Thank you NetGalley for my arc in exchange for an honest review- this book is out now!

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks for the copy of this absolute masterpiece. I adore Scarlett and she is one of my favorite authors. And you could feel her love for this story and writing in every page. It was truly a pleasure to read.

Anyway, let’s dig in. First off, you know it’s going to be a good time when it starts with a glossary. Gesela also won me over right away. I also love how right away we get to see the female rage and how horrible her village is yet somehow she’s managed to survive. You all know I’m here for the iconic baddies who just channel that rage. Casamir is the best grumpy dummy. And it was truly such an incredible novella and I’m beyond excited that there will be more fairy tales like this to come. The mix of lore with romance and new, unique stories was so incredible. I’m absolutely smitten and so excited to read it again whenever I find myself in a slump that only fae can get me out of.

This is a short, fast read! St.Clair ties together many story book tales in this debut series. I thought it was really cute a little insta lovey but it was also short so it kind of had to be! If you’ve enjoyed other books by this author you will likely be intrigued by this one as well! I’d read any future books in the series. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book!

This is the first book in Scarlett St. Clair’s new Fairy Tale series, and it was a lot of fun. The story is short and quick, and it has a lot of action, intrigue, a magical fairyland, morally grey characters, and an epic enemies-to-lovers romance.

A quick and steamy romantasy, the story includes many recognizable fairy tale elements. From the magic mirror to the enchanted forest to the plethora of fantastical characters and creatures, the story feels steeped in tradition but has a fresh and spicy spin. It pulls from popular tales and has symbolic references and nods to stories like The Devil and the Three Golden Hairs, The Seven Ravens, Beauty and the Beast, Rumplestiltskin, and more.

"She makes me feel like it won't matter if I have a name or not. So long as I know her, I will know myself."
Get a fan, my friends, because this is a steamy one! Ella and Casamir have electric chemistry, and the room heats up every time they’re together. If you like love/hate relationships with fantastic banter, heated exchanges, and even more heated romance, then you should definitely check this one out.

In addition to the spice, we also see both beast and Ella face their misgivings about love. Neither like being vulnerable and they resist fully opening up to each other. However, with all that chemistry zapping around, it proves difficult. And I love how Casamir tries to get love and courting advice from anyone who will listen. The magic mirror, the house brownie, and even a prisoner is questioned, though Casamir is not good at following through with the advice he receives. It’s so sweet to see this dark, brooding, and usually unfeeling male fall head over heels in love. Ella isn’t much better at sharing her feelings and being courted, which makes for some tense and humorous scenes, as well as some heated arguments and misunderstandings. And the make-up time was super sexy. I loved every heated second!

I’m really interested in Casamir’s brothers and am hoping that each will be the focus of future books. I have a feeling they will each have a unique story to tell, and I’m eager to see how all of their stories tie together and who will be crowned the king of Fairyland.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.

Oh this was a yummy yummy read! Scarlett never ever disappoints. The spice was nice. The concept was fun. Pacing was fast but not rushed. I thoroughly enjoyed every second of this book! Thank you for giving me this opportunity!

2,5

The premise of this novel was really good, at the beginning I was even getting excited about reading it, until about 20% of the novel, when the protagonists already become familiar with their own private parts.
Don't hold it against me, I appreciate some spicy in fantasy, but much later on, not at the beginning.
Also because then this carries on throughout the novel and basically, not much happens. On the other hand, it is very smooth, you get to the end in no time.
It is very reminiscent of the Maas books.
Positive note of this book are the drawings present during the narration, they are really very beautiful.

Scarelett St Clair is a queen at fantasy romance! I absolutely love and adore her other fantasy romance books, and this one is no different. She brought a fascinating plot, a wonderful new world, and very likeable and interesting main characters that made the whole book that much better! Anyone looking for a new fantasy romance to blow them away… this book is for you!

I love Scarlett St-Clair so much. I'm a big fan of all her books. Hades and Persephone are my favorite.

I was excited to read this book. I love fairytale retelling, fae, spicy books and morally grey character, but this one didn't make the cut. I know it's supposed to be short. But I don't like how fast it's going, I wish there was more plot so the character development would make more sense. I don't like that he let her be hurt but He needs her to fall in love with her in the same time ? I prefer character who would kill if someone touch her. That didn't do it for me. If you are searching for a quick read with spice, this is for you. The spice is good and fun. The illustrations in the book are incredible, I love them.

4⭐️

Mountains Made of Glass is an enchanting fairytale retelling that is fast-paced, well written, and spicy. The details inside were the icing on the cake for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Bloom Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was given an Arc copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Wow Scarlett has done it again! She is one of the few authors that I will read EVERYTHING she writes! As much as I love her other books I think this story might have been my favorite! It had all these fairy tale vibes…from Beauty and the Beast to the magic mirror to Cinderella with the elves making her clothes! I couldn’t put this book down and finished it on one sitting!

I wish I could give this more than 5 stars! I will definitely be recommending this one to everyone!

OK first thing first, I am not really a person who likes fantasy. I decided to read this ARC copy of this romance because everyone has been raving about the author. This book has the vibes of beauty and the beast, and I love that story so I was intrigued. This book is very heavy on fantasy with a bunch of different creatures and lands and magic. While this book is very steamy, I find it hard to fall for the two MCs and their relationship. The hero never sings to fall in love with the heroine. He just wants the heroine to fall in love with him and free him from his curse. At the same time, the two of them really want to have intercourse. It seemed like all they had was lust for each other. I also found this book very dark times. Literally, the ending is them making out around dead bodies bleeding.
I’m sure fans of this author will love this book and anyone who’s into fantasy with steamy scenes will as well! Just not my cup of tea :)

Read if you like:
Dual POVs
Beauty and the beast vibes
Prisoner x Captor
Forced proximity
Open door romance
Fantasy AF

I seriously enjoyed this fairy tale retelling! I love that it wasn’t just focused on one tale but many! Scarlett did a beautiful job weaving in the tales together to create this dark, world! I will say that even in the happiest of times the people of this world still feel the lingering darkness and I am here for it!!

I have to applaud Scarlett on creating a heroine that wasn’t a damsel in distress! She was smart, cunning and went toe to toe with the beast himself in order to be heard! The beast, Casamir, was up for every barb thrown and even at his darkest the elven prince had a heart of gold that beat for the beauty who caught his name!

I was excited to see that the other brothers are also getting books so I can’t wait to see what else this world brings!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an early copy of this book! Below is my honest review.

Summary:

Gesela has no family and lives in a world where there are multiple curses inflicted on her village. For every curse, one person is assigned to break it—the downside is that that person usually dies. One day, Gesela is assigned to break a curse: kill a specific frog and the town’s well will be filled, or else it will stay dry. She fulfills the curse, but is sentenced to be a prisoner to the Beast for six years unless she figures out his real name.

Thoughts:

If you want a quick romance book with a few splashes of fantasy, then this is for it. It’s very much beauty and the beast inspired, so it’s very easy to read. The author has a glossary for all the terms she uses, so no need to remember everything all at once. Don’t read this if you’re not ready for some adult content.

A few gripes:
1) It was way too easy for Gesela to figure out the beast’s name. All she had to do was literally make him orgasm and he would give her a letter of his name.
2) Gesela is too dramatic and explosive for me. She ends every conversation with yelling or slapping.
3) The other characters really don’t have much personality to them.

Would I recommend this book? Meh.

Mountains Made of Glass is a fairy tale retelling by Scarlett St. Clair that follows Gesela, who lives in a seemingly cursed village. After the well runs dry and Gesela kills a fae prince in disguise, she is banished to live with “the beast.”

While I didn’t dislike anything about this book, I think it being a novella was a huge disservice. I know this is a fairy tale retelling so insta-love is kind of expected but I just wish we would have had more character development before the romance started. If this book would have been twice the length, I would have enjoyed it a lot more. As this is the first in a series, I’m sure I will read the next one to see where it goes.

I will say that I have read a few of the Hades and Persephone books by this author and the writing in this book seems to have improved a lot since then. I think another thing is I am kind of burnt out of the super common romance retellings: Beauty and the Beast, Hades and Persephone, and a handful of others. I would love to see some retellings of other stories that aren’t as common. The Princess and the Pea, anyone?

"Hmm, you are sweet," he said, his tongue tasting. "I could eat you whole."
"You have seven days to guess my true name, and I will set you free."
I don’t even know what to say.
An amazing short novella from an author that I loved, about an impossible enemies to lovers romance with a bit of a beauty and the best retelling where she is forced to stay with him in order to break a curse that others think is on her but in truth is all him.
I LOVED IT !!! There is no other way to put it!!!! Gesela and Casamir are simply something else. They are such great characters. Gesela reminds me a lot of Isolde from “King of Battle and Blood” and Casamir has a lot of Hades and Adrian’s peculiarities in him.
Dark, brooding, morally grey, a bit of a villain but the first to fall for her.
Their romance is spicy, intense, dark, angry and sweet in an unconventional kind of way !!!!
Plus there is a glossary at the beginning for creatures from myths and folklore and designs and illustrations in the book !!!!
There was truly not one thing I didn’t love about this short story and I literally can’t wait for the author to write more in this universe and maybe add them all in a collection !!!!
"Come when I call, sweet creature," I said.
"Or I will come for you.”
"You are poison, sweet creature. I want you in my blood."
"She makes me feel like it won't matter if I have a name or not. So long as I know her, I will know myself."

This is a quick, spicy fairytale retelling and it packed a punch! I'm excited to read the rest of the series when they release because this one pulled me in quickly and was a fantastic read.

Mountains Made of Glass is a captivating fairytale retelling. This was my first read by Scarlett St Clair and I jumped at the chance to read it since the plot and the cover were so intriguing - thank you so much Sourcebooks Bloom Books and NetGalley for the free copy!

If you are into fairytales, faes, magical forests and enchanted castles - and like your fantasy reads on the darker and steamier side - then this is just the perfect little read for you!

Mountains Made of Glass is the first book in a new series of fairytale retellings. There were so many different elements from classic fairytales throughout the book: a woman being imprisoned by a beast, a magic mirror, a prince that is cursed and turned into a toad, etc. This book was clearly well researched and I loved the writing. It was very magical, atmospheric, and dark. It was fast-paced and kept me hooked the entire time I was reading. The illustrations in this book were also a pleasant surprise.

This was a really great novella and I can’t wait to read the rest of this series!

Rating: 3.5/5 stars